Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov has attributed recent disruptions to payment systems to Russia's increased restrictions on virtual private networks (VPNs), according to statements reported by multiple news outlets.

Durov suggested that Russia's crackdown on VPN services has created technical problems affecting banking and payment infrastructure. The messaging app executive made the comments as Russian authorities have intensified efforts to control internet access and limit the use of VPN technology.

Russia has been expanding its restrictions on VPN services as part of broader internet control measures. These services allow users to bypass geographic restrictions and access blocked websites by routing internet traffic through servers in other countries.

The reported banking outages would represent the latest example of how Russia's internet restrictions are affecting digital infrastructure beyond their intended targets. VPN blocking efforts can sometimes disrupt legitimate internet traffic and services that rely on similar routing technologies.

Telegram, which Durov founded, has previously faced pressure from Russian authorities over content moderation and data access. The platform remains popular in Russia despite periodic tensions with regulators over compliance with local laws.